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Commentary on Psalms 89 verses 38–52
In these verses we have,
I. A very melancholy complaint of the present deplorable state of David's family, which the psalmist thinks hard to be reconciled to the covenant God made with David. "Thou saidst thou wouldst not take away thy lovingkindness, but thou hast cast off." Sometimes, it is no easy thing to reconcile God's providences with his promises, and yet we are sure they are reconcilable; for God's works fulfil his word and never contradict it. 1. David's house seemed to have lost its interest in God, which was the greatest strength and beauty of it. God had been pleased with his anointed, but now he was wroth with him (Psa 89:38), had entered into covenant with the family, but now, for aught he could perceive, he had made void the covenant, not broken some of the articles of it, but cancelled it, Psa 89:39. We misconstrue the rebukes of Providence if we think they make void the covenant. When the great anointed one, Christ himself, was upon the cross, God seemed to have cast him off, and was wroth with him, and yet did not make void his covenant with him, for that was established for ever. 2. The honour of the house of David was lost and laid in the dust: Thou hast profaned his crown (which was always looked upon as sacred) by casting it to the ground, to be trampled on, Psa 89:39. Thou hast made his glory to cease (so uncertain is all earthly glory, and so soon does it wither) and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground, not only dethroned the king, but put a period to the kingdom, Psa 89:44. If it was penned in Rehoboam's time, it was true as to the greatest part of the kingdom, five parts of six; if in Zedekiah's time, it was more remarkably true of the poor remainder. Note, Thrones and crowns are tottering things, and are often laid in the dust; but there is a crown of glory reserved for Christ's spiritual seed which fadeth not away. 3. It was exposed and made a prey to all the neighbours, who insulted over that ancient and honourable family (Psa 89:40): Thou hast broken down all his hedges (all those things that were a defence to them, and particularly that hedge of protection which they thought God's covenant and promise had made about them) and thou hast made even his strong-holds a ruin, so that they were rather a reproach to them than any shelter; and then, All that pass by the way spoil him (Psa 89:41) and make an easy prey of him; see Psa 80:12, Psa 80:13. The enemies talk insolently: He is a reproach to his neighbours, who triumph in his fall from so great a degree of honour. Nay, every one helps forward the calamity (Psa 89:42): "Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries, not only given them power, but inclined them to turn their power this way." If the enemies of the church lift up their hand against it, we must see God setting up their hand; for they could have no power unless it were given them from above. But, when God does permit them to do mischief to his church, it pleases them: "Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice; and this is for thy glory, that those who hate thee should have the pleasure to see the tears and troubles of those that love thee." 4. It was disabled to help itself (Psa 89:43): "Thou hast turned the edge of his sword, and made it blunt, that it cannot do execution as it has done; and (which is worse) thou hast turned the edge of his spirit, and taken off his courage, and hast not made him to stand as he used to do in the battle." The spirit of men is what the Father and former of spirits makes them; nor can we stand with any strength or resolution further than God is pleased to uphold us. If men's hearts fail them, it is God that dispirits them; but it is sad with the church when those cannot stand who should stand up for it. 5. It was upon the brink of an inglorious exit (Psa 89:45): The days of his youth hast thou shortened; it is ready to be cut off, like a young man in the flower of his age. This seems to intimate that the psalm was penned in Rehoboam's time, when the house of David was but in the days of its youth, and yet waxed old and began to decay already. Thus it was covered with shame, and it was turned very much to its reproach that a family which, in the first and second reign, looked so great, and made such a figure, should, in the third, dwindle and look so little as the house of David did in Rehoboam's time. But it may be applied to the captivity in Babylon, which, in comparison with what was expected, was but the day of the youth of that kingdom. However, the kings then had remarkably the days of their youth shortened, for it was in the days of their youth, when they were about thirty years old, that Jehoiachin and Zedekiah were carried captives to Babylon.
From all this complaint let us learn, 1. What work sin makes with families, noble royal families, with families in which religion has been uppermost; when posterity degenerates, it falls into disgrace, and iniquity stains their glory. 2. How apt we are to place the promised honour and happiness of the church in something external, and to think the promise fails, and the covenant is made void, if we be disappointed of that, a mistake which we now are inexcusable if we fall into, since our Master has so expressly told us that his kingdom is not of this world.
II. A very pathetic expostulation with God upon this. Four things they plead with God for mercy: -
1.The long continuance of the trouble (Psa 89:46): How long, O Lord! wilt thou hide thyself? For ever? That which grieved them most was that God himself, as one displeased, did not appear to them by his prophets to comfort them, did not appear for them by his providences to deliver them, and that he had kept them long in the dark; it seemed an eternal night, when God had withdrawn: Thou hidest thyself for ever. Nay, God not only hid himself from them, but seemed to set himself against them: "Shall thy wrath burn like fire? How long shall it burn? Shall it never be put out? What is hell, but the wrath of God, burning for ever? And is that the lot of thy anointed?"
2.The shortness of life, and the certainty of death: "Lord, let thy anger cease, and return thou, in mercy to us, remembering how short my time is and how sure the period of my time. Lord, since my life is so transitory, and will, ere long, be at an end, let it not be always so miserable that I should rather choose no being at all than such a being." Job pleads thus, Job 10:20, Job 10:21. And probably the psalmist here urges it in the name of the house of David, and the present prince of that house, the days of whose youth were shortened, Psa 89:45.
(1.)He pleads the shortness and vanity of life (Psa 89:47): Remember how short my time is, how transitory I am (say some), therefore unable to bear the power of thy wrath, and therefore a proper object of thy pity. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? or, Unto what vanity hast thou created all the sons of Adam! Now, this may be understood either, [1.] As declaring a great truth. If the ancient lovingkindnesses spoken of (Psa 89:49) be forgotten (those relating to another life), man is indeed made in vain. Considering man as mortal, if there were not a future state on the other side of death, we might be ready to think that man was made in vain, and was in vain endued with the noble powers and faculties of reason and filled with such vast designs and desires; but God would not make man in vain; therefore, Lord, remember those lovingkindnesses. Or, [2.] As implying a strong temptation that the psalmist was in. It is certain God has not made all men, nor any man, in vain, Isa 45:18. For, First, If we think that God has made men in vain because so many have short lives, and long afflictions, in this world, it is true that God has made them so, but it is not true that therefore they are made in vain. For those whose days are few and full of trouble may yet glorify God and do some good, may keep their communion with God and get to heaven, and then they are not made in vain. Secondly, If we think that God has made men in vain because the most of men neither serve him nor enjoy him, it is true that, as to themselves, they were made in vain, better for them had they not been born than not to be born again; but it was not owing to God that they were made in vain; it was owing to themselves; nor are they made in vain as to him, for he has made all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil, and those whom he is not glorified by he will be glorified upon.
(2.)He pleads the universality and unavoidableness of death (Psa 89:48): "What man" (what strong man, so the word is) "is he that liveth and shall not see death? The king himself, of the house of David, is not exempted from the sentence, from the stroke. Lord, since he is under a fatal necessity of dying, let not his whole life be made thus miserable. Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? No, he shall not when his time has come. Let him not therefore be delivered into the hand of the grave by the miseries of a dying life, till his time shall come." We must learn here that death is the end of all men; our eyes must shortly be closed to see death; there is no discharge from that war, nor will any bail be taken to save us from the prison of the grave. It concerns us therefore to make sure a happiness on the other side of death and the grave, that, when we fail, we may be received into everlasting habitations.
3.The next plea is taken from the kindness God had for and the covenant he made with his servant David (Psa 89:49): "Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou showedst, nay, which thou swaredst, to David in thy truth? Wilt thou fail of doing what thou hast promised? Wilt thou undo what thou hast done? Art not thou still the same? Why then may not we have the benefit of the former sure mercies of David?" God's unchangeableness and faithfulness assure us that God will not cast off those whom he has chosen and covenanted with.
4.The last plea is taken from the insolence of the enemies and the indignity done to God's anointed (Psa 89:50, Psa 89:51): "Remember, Lord, the reproach, and let it be rolled away from us and returned upon our enemies." (1.) They were God's servants that were reproached, and the abuses done to them reflected upon their master, especially since it was for serving him that they were reproached. (2.) The reproach cast upon God's servants was a very grievous burden to all that were concerned for the honour of God: "I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people, and am even overwhelmed with it; it is what I lay much to heart and can scarcely keep up my spirits under the weight of." (3.) "They are thy enemies who do thus reproach us; and wilt thou not appear against them as such?" (4.) They have reproached the footsteps of thy anointed. They reflected upon all the steps which the king had taken in the course of his administration, tracked him in all his motions, that they might make invidious remarks upon every thing he had said and done. Or, if we may apply it to Christ, the Lord's Messiah, they reproached the Jews with his footsteps, the slowness of his coming. They have reproached the delays of the Messiah; so Dr. Hammond. They called him, He that should come; but, because he had not yet come, because he did not now come to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, when they had none to deliver them, they told them he would never come, they must give over looking for him. The scoffers of the latter days do, in like manner, reproach the footsteps of the Messiah when they ask, Where is the promise of his coming? Pe2 3:3, Pe2 3:4. The reproaching of the footsteps of the anointed some refer to the serpent's bruising the heel of the seed of the woman, or to the sufferings of Christ's followers, who tread in his footsteps, and are reproached for his name's sake.
III. The psalm concludes with praise, even after this sad complaint (Psa 89:52): Blessed be the Lord for evermore, Amen, and amen. Thus he confronts the reproaches of his enemies. The more others blaspheme God the more we should bless him. Thus he corrects his own complaints, chiding himself for quarrelling with God's providences and questioning his promises; let both these sinful passions be silenced with the praises of God. However it be, yet God is good, and we will never think hardly of him; God is true, and we will never distrust him. Though the glory of David's house be stained and sullied, this shall be our comfort, that God is blessed for ever, and his glory cannot be eclipsed. If we would have the comfort of the stability of God's promise, we must give him the praise of it; in blessing God, we encourage ourselves. Here is a double Amen, according to the double signification. Amen - so it is, God is blessed for ever. Amen - be it so, let God be blessed for ever. He began the psalm with thanksgiving, before he made his complaint (Psa 89:1); and now he concludes it with a doxology. Those who give God thanks for what he has done may give him thanks also for what he will do; God will follow those with his mercies who, in a right manner, follow him with their praises.
These promises, so sure, so firm, so open, so unquestioned, were made concerning Christ. For although some are mysteriously veiled, yet some are so clear, that all that is obscure is easily revealed by them. Such being the case, see what follows: "But You have approved and brought to nothing and forsaken Your Anointed" [Psalm 89:38]. "You have overthrown the testament of Your servant, and profaned His holiness on the ground" [Psalm 89:39]. "You have broken down all His hedges, and made His strongholds a terror" [Psalm 89:40]....How is this? You have promised all those things: and You have brought to pass their reverse. Where are now the promises which but a little before filled us with delight? Which we so joyfully applauded, which we so fearlessly made our boast of? It is as if one promised, and another destroyed. And this is the mystery: for the words are not "another," but "You," Thou who promised, who even swore in condescension to human doubt, You have promised this, and done thus! Whence shall I get Your oath, where shall I find Your promise fulfilled? Would then God promise, or swear thus falsely? And yet why then these promises, and these acts? I answer, that He acted thus in fulfilment of those promises. But who am I, to say this? Let us see therefore whether it is the language of the Truth; what I say will not then be without foundation. It was David to whom the fulfilment of these promises in his seed, that is, in Christ, was promised: and as they were addressed to David, men expected their completion in David. Further, lest when any Christian asserted these promises to have referred to Christ, another by applying them to David, because he described the fulfilment of all of them in David, might thus err; He cancelled them in David, thus obliging us when we see them unfulfilled in David, to look to another quarter for their fulfilment. Thus also in the case of Esau and Jacob, we find the elder worshipped by the younger, though it is written, "The elder shall serve the younger;" [Genesis 25:23] so when you see it unfulfilled in those two brothers, you look for two peoples in whom to discover the completion of what God in His truth deigns to promise. "From the fruit of your body," says the Lord unto David, "shall I set upon your sea." He promised from his seed something for evermore: and, Solomon, born to him, became master of such wisdom, that the promise of God respecting the fruit of David's body was believed to have been fulfilled in him; but Solomon fell, and gave room for hoping for Christ; that since God can neither be deceived nor deceive, He might not make His promise to rest in one who He knew would fall, but you might after the fall of Solomon look back to God, and demand His promise. Have You, O Lord, deceived? Have You failed to fulfil Your promise? Do You not exhibit what You have sworn? Perhaps God might reply, I swore and promised: but Solomon would not persevere. What then? Did not You, Lord God, know beforehand that he would not persevere? Indeed You knew. Why then did You promise me what should be eternal in one who would not persevere? Have You not answered; "But if his children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they keep not My statutes, and profane My testament;" yet My promise shall remain, and My oath shall be fulfilled: "I have sworn once in My Holiness," within, in a certain mystery, in the very spring whence the Prophets drank, whence they burst forth to us of these things, "I have sworn once" that I will not fail David. Show forth then what You have sworn, give us what You have promised. The fulfilment is taken from that David, that it might not be looked for in that David: wait therefore for what I have promised.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 89:39 is a poignant lament within a psalm that initially extols God's unwavering covenant faithfulness to David. This verse captures the psalmist's profound anguish and theological perplexity as he observes the apparent nullification of God's solemn promises, specifically manifested in the humiliation and dethronement of the Davidic king, symbolized by the profanation of his crown. It powerfully articulates the tension between divine declarations of eternal loyalty and the painful reality of national defeat and royal disgrace, culminating in a desperate plea for God to remember His covenant.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 89:39 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound lament and theological struggle. Direct Address is immediately evident in "Thou hast," as the psalmist boldly confronts God with his accusation, underscoring the raw, personal nature of his pain and theological wrestling. Parallelism, a foundational element of Hebrew poetry, is used effectively to reinforce and intensify the lament: "made void the covenant" is paralleled by "profaned his crown," and "thy servant" by "his crown [by casting it] to the ground." This creates a cumulative effect, emphasizing the dual nature of the perceived divine abandonment—both covenantal and royal. The phrase "profaned his crown [by casting it] to the ground" is a potent Metaphor and Symbolism. The crown, a tangible symbol of royal authority and sacred consecration, is vividly depicted in its violent descent to the ground, symbolizing the king's utter humiliation, dethronement, and loss of dignity. The entire verse functions as a powerful example of Lament, a genre of psalms where the speaker expresses deep sorrow, complaint, and often an accusation against God, seeking divine intervention or explanation for suffering, demonstrating the legitimacy of such honest wrestling within faith.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 89:39 stands as a stark theological challenge, probing the very nature of God's faithfulness and the reliability of His covenant promises. The psalmist's lament arises from the apparent contradiction between God's eternal oath to David and the devastating reality of the Davidic king's humiliation and the kingdom's collapse. This verse forces a confrontation with the problem of suffering and the inscrutability of divine providence, particularly when God's actions seem to contradict His own declared character of steadfast love and faithfulness. It highlights the tension between God's sovereign freedom to act (or seemingly withdraw) and His covenantal commitments. Theologically, it invites profound reflection on how God's long-term purposes, which often involve discipline, testing, and refinement, can appear to human eyes as a breach of promise, yet ultimately serve a greater redemptive plan that transcends immediate circumstances. It underscores that God's ways are higher than our ways, and His faithfulness endures even when our understanding falters.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 89:39 offers a profound and liberating lesson for believers navigating periods when God's promises seem distant, unfulfilled, or even directly contradicted by harsh realities. The psalmist's raw honesty in confronting God with his pain, confusion, and even accusation grants us permission to bring our own doubts, grievances, and deepest sorrows before the Lord without fear of condemnation. It teaches us that authentic faith does not shy away from questioning or lamenting, but rather finds a deeper, more resilient trust through the very act of wrestling with God in prayer. In times of personal or collective suffering, when our "crowns" of hope, security, identity, or even spiritual vitality feel cast to the ground, this verse reminds us that our perception of God's actions may be limited, and His ultimate faithfulness endures beyond our immediate understanding. It encourages us to hold onto the unchanging character of God, even when His ways are inscrutable and His providence feels harsh, trusting that His ultimate purposes, though sometimes painful and mysterious, are always good and lead to a deeper revelation of His sovereign, redemptive plan. This lament invites us into a deeper posture of humble dependence, acknowledging that true faith embraces the tension between divine promise and present pain.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How can God "make void" His own covenant, especially one declared eternal, as stated in Psalms 89:39?
Answer: This verse expresses the psalmist's deeply human perception and profound anguish, not a definitive theological statement that God actually broke His covenant. From the human perspective, experiencing military defeat, royal humiliation, and national crisis felt like God had abandoned His solemn promises to David (e.g., 2 Samuel 7:12-16). The strong language "made void" (Hebrew: nâʼar) and "profaned" (Hebrew: châlal) reflects the profound shock and theological struggle of a people whose devastating reality starkly contradicted their understanding of God's covenant faithfulness and power. Theologically, God's covenants are ultimately unbreakable and eternally secure (e.g., Jeremiah 33:20-21). What the psalmist perceives as a voiding of the covenant was often God's disciplinary action due to the people's disobedience and idolatry, or a temporary period of humbling designed to achieve a greater redemptive purpose. The ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, as revealed in the New Testament, is not in an unbroken line of earthly kings, but in the eternal, unbreakable reign of Jesus Christ, the true Son of David.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 89:39, with its raw lament over the apparent voiding of the Davidic covenant and the profanation of the king's crown, finds its ultimate and profound answer in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist grappled with the seeming failure of an earthly Davidic king, the New Testament reveals that God's promises to David were never truly broken but were instead fulfilled in a far grander and eternal way through Christ. The "crown" that was cast to the ground in the psalmist's day foreshadows the ultimate humiliation of the true King, Jesus, whose crown was one of thorns, and whose earthly reign seemed utterly profaned as He was mocked, crucified, and laid in a tomb (e.g., Matthew 27:29; John 19:2-3). Yet, this apparent defeat on the cross was the very means by which God established an eternal, unbreakable covenant—the New Covenant in Christ's blood, inaugurated for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life (e.g., Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6-13). The King whose crown was cast to the ground was ultimately raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and exalted to the highest place, receiving a crown of glory and honor as Lord of all (e.g., Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 2:9). Thus, the lament of Psalms 89:39, though deeply painful, ultimately points to the steadfast faithfulness of God, who, through the suffering, death, and triumphant resurrection of His Son, ensures that the Davidic Covenant is not voided but eternally secured in the everlasting kingdom of Jesus, the true Son of David and King of Kings.